The Cop and the Anthem

“There are certain signs to show that winter is coming. Birds begin to fly south. Women who want nice new warm coats become very kind to their husbands. And Soapy moves restlessly on his seat in the park. When you see these signs, you know that winter is near.”

The story’s first paragraph frames Soapy as a fixture of New York City, which soon proves ironic: Far from appreciating Soapy’s behavior for the “sign” it is, hardly anyone seems to register his presence at all. The passage also hints at the cyclical nature of Soapy’s incarceration, which he times to coincide with the coming of winter.

“Soapy’s hopes for the winter were not very high. He was not thinking of sailing away on a ship. He was not thinking of southern skies, or of the Bay of Naples. Three months in the prison on Blackwell’s Island was what he wanted. Three months of food every day and a bed every night, three months safe from the cold north wind and safe from cops. This seemed to Soapy the most desirable thing in the world.”

This quote shows Soapy’s character. He knows his “place” on the social ladder and doesn’t dream of a life that society renders impossible for him—i.e., the holidays of the wealthy elite. Soapy simply wants to return to the only “winter home” he knows—prison.

“Soapy’s spirit was proud. If he went to any of these places, there were certain things he had to do. In one way or another, he would have to pay for what they gave him. They would not ask him for money. But they would make him wash his whole body. They would make him answer questions; they would want to know everything about his life.”

This quote demonstrates that Personal Dignity Is Essential to Survival. To Soapy, life as an unhoused person—having to sleep in shelters, bathe on demand, and answer personal questions—means suffering the greatest of insults. He knows he’ll be judged for his past imprisonment and branded a thief, whereas in prison, everyone has a past, and he can lead a life of relative dignity among equals.